I recently got a Gibson Les Paul Studio. Beautiful guitar, very different from what i typically play. My problem is that the pickups seem way to boomy for me. Its killing me with the bass. Even when i cut the bass completely( normally i play with it at about 2) Its just overpowering. Th esit elists these as its pickups:

The pickups currently installed in this model are the Gibson 490R Alnico magnet humbucker in the neck position and the Gibson 498T Alnico magnet humbucker in the bridge position

Anyone have any experience with these pickups? Any suggestions for replacemetns? Maybe some vintage schallers?

Yeah... you can change the pickups/electronics later, but imho, all aspects of the guitar have to be in the "totally acceptable" range, at the point of purchase.
I reccomend feeling like "I can slap on a new set of strings and play a gig with this axe tonight" as a good starting point for a guitar purchase.

fwiw. I played Les Pauls from the mid 70's to early 2000's.
I like the setting with both pickups on, but the neck pickup volume rolled off slightly (like just enough to increase the treble a little).
I like the bridge pickup for anything like the intro to Big River, (this includes a ton of Jerry stuff in lower regesters in general, but is usually too bright above the 12th fret).
I use the neck pickup for anything that sounds like the song "Spooky", but otherwise I always felt that the neck pickup on most LP's is too muddy for my taste (although I would often flip to the Neck pickup for solo'ing above the 12th fret).
~pb

In response to the last quote. I've been playing for close to 20 years. I've owned enough guitars through the years to know what to expect. If you read the thread carefully it says"help with pickups" not with guitar. I don't have any experience with the newer stock LP pickups. I typically always play with Dimarzio,Schallers, or SD PAF's. SS gave the best advice, which was to bring it to my tech. That was actually what i had planned on doing. The thread was more to see if anyone else had any input on the particular pickups.

BTW after reading your post a little more. I have to disagree with a guitar being ready on day 1. Maybe its different because i'm a lefty, but i need to grab the good ones when i see them. And the expense of replacing the pu's( if need be) is completely worth the cost.

I wouldn't dream of using the LP for any Jerry. For that i would use my Strat with super II's, coil taps, UGB and loop.

So, i agree with a lot of what you said, just didn't think it was appropriate for this thread.

High Peaks wrote:I want to have the LP sustain, just with a crisper tone.

Maybe try an SG?
Maybe the Ash body LP?

The inherent "tone/timbre" of "your instrument" is what you are trying to "pickup", right?
If it's too Boom-ee/bass-ee for starters, my expierence has been that you're just gonna chase tail with this pickup thing.

I have formed an opinion that I will share...
My Pedal Steel has "modular" pickups.
I can change pickups in about 5-10 seconds by just sliding one out and sliding the next one in.
I've tried several pickups in quick succession (this is KEY!) without changing amp settings, (and with turning the knobs to try to get the best out of each pickup).

Pickups don't make that big a difference.
Sure some are louder/quieter or have more treble/bass.
I have found you can turn the tone and volume knobs on your amp and/or guitar, and simulate most pickups very closely, with whatever pickup is currently in your guitar.

Some will disagree, it's O.K though, right?
I am very much from the let's find an instrument we like, and play it, camp.
('Not real big on modding an instrument I'm not initially happy with).
Again, I'm all for whatever you want to do... I just don't think it's the pickups, myself.
What you are describing is what LP's sound like.
Can you post a clip of the offending tone?

I thought I could deal with the pickups for a while after playing the guitar at guitar center.. It is different when you take a guitar home and plug it into your gear. The exact options I want do not exist on a new guitar. If money was not an Issue I would have bought a $1700 Fender strat 62 RI Hotrod. I hear what you are saying about buying a new guitar that doesn't have the tone you want, but sometimes that is the thing to do.